Installing Electric To The Barn

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

It is 6F, snow on the ground, BUT its time to think of spring projects. With this cold and the hard starting on the Kubota, I will install a block heater before next winter. One problem, no electric in the barn! So here are my questions for those master electricians in TBN. I am planing on running a wire out to the barn and have a question on sizing. It is about 175-200 feet from the panel to the barn. I figure I will add 6-100 watt lights inside, 2- sets of 150-watt floodlights, and 3-4 plugs. I was planing on running 12-2 wire, do you think I should run 12/3 or 2 –12/2, I have to visit HomeDepot to see if 400’ of 2-12 is cheaper then 200’ of 12/3. Do you think for that distance 12 is OK? If I run 12/3 would you run lights on one leg and plugs on another leg or split them between the two legs? I think codes here call for it to be buried 18 inches, does that sound correct? I plan on running it through a plug type GFI, I think that is cheaper then a GFI breaker. I will also run a phone line at the same time. Can it be in the same hole as the electric wire, or will I get interference on the phone line? Do see anything wrong with my project design?

Thanks

Tom

 

[Thomas]

First I would check your local codes..just to be on the safe side.

You may want to increase your wire size a tad for the future needs.

I ran 10 awg w/ground {50amps}to my shed,and now I have plenty of juice for my welder & lighting & compressor & power tools etc.. when need be.

Are you planing to install some sort of a disconncet box in the barn?

Little advice..mice for some reason like to chew on insulation of the wire /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif so I would shield the wires as much as I could.

 

[MikePA]

I agree with Thomas about running a heavier wire and protecting it.

Our barn is about 300 feet from the house and while we installed a separate electric service to it, we did run a water line and a phone line (same trench) from the house.

Since you only want to do this project once /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif, I would run at least 6 awg w/ground into a breaker box in the barn then run circuits from there. This will allow you to shut circuits off at the barn without having to return to the house.

 

[heehaw]

while your at it, if you have an air compressor, run a pvc pipe for air too. i have phone lines and electric lines together in a pvc pipe, and have had no problems, i would recommend putting the wire in a pvc pipe, rather than using direct burial wire, just in case you ever want to change/upgrade the service. i've done both, and they have both lasted since 1986 with no problems, but i have lost a little sleep over the direct burial lines, they got to my well house, 500ft away, so if they go bad, i lose water.
heehaw

 

[Anonymous Poster]

First I need to respond to you. Artical 310, table 310.16 on the NEC states that wire size for 50 amps shall be no smaller than 6Awg (55A) If direct burial, it has to be type UF. 10Awg is only rated at 30A max. Also, you need to have some type of dissconnecting means in the barn and overcurrent limiting device. ie... fuses, circuit breaker.

 

[Thomas]

Thanks for the infomation.

Has this artical been updated since 1975?

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Now for you. As for your electrical needs. Type UF (direct burial) cable will have to be used. 12 Awg wire is only rated at no more than 20A. Your electrical consumption with the lighting doesn't get that high, but if you start running recepticals off it, you may find that it is easily exceded. Also, lighting should be on a seperate circuit and doesnt' need to be GFCI protected. All other recepticals need to be (art. 210.8). As for burial depth, Art. 300 table 300.5 specifies 24 in. for type UF direct burial. 18 in. for non metallic raceways. You also need a dissconnecting means located in the barn. Preferrably a fuse or circuit breaker box. The phone line can be run in the same trench, but to limit noise on the line, I would seperate them by at least 6 in.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

This comes directly from 2002 NEC

 

[MikePA]

Careful too when you back fill the trench. Get a rock free layer on top of the wires.

 

[MossRoad]

Around here, you can only run one circuit to an outbuilding. I was told by the inspector that this is to eliminate the possibility of multiple paths of electricity. If I wanted multiple circuits in my garage(and I did) I had to run a bigger circuit and use a sub panel in the garage. So I chose to run a 50 amp 220V circuit. I put a disconnect and a sub panel in my garage with 8 breakers. Works great. I can kill power to the breaker panel and work on it safely.

Check with your local code and get the permits if required. The code guys around here were very helpful and encouraged me with suggestions before I did anything. I didn't have to re-do any work. That was nice /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif